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City says Pioneer Hall can't handle snow load Monday Sep 25, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Julie Akins for the Mail Tribune Ashland’s emergency winter shelter for the homeless is potentially unfit in the event of a heavy snow or ice storm, according to a city report presented to City Council at a study session Tuesday. Engineers found beams insufficient for heavy snow, a faulty floor and issues with the historic fireplace. Three nights per week during winter, Pioneer Hall is open as a winter shelter. But it’s not enough according, to one councilor. “Three nights per week is not a solution to winter shelter,” said Councilor Traci Darrow. “We need to fix Pioneer Hall, but we also need a greater solution.” Interim City Administrator John Karns told the council engineers indicated it would be OK to use Pioneer Hall when less than six inches of snow or three inches of ice or compacted snow are expected. Periods of high winds are also a concern. Karns told the council people in the shelter would have to be moved if those extreme conditions occur. It’s not clear, he said, where they would be moved. “What’s the plan?” said Greg Lemhouse. “'I don’t know' isn’t a good enough answer.” Karns responded that the information about the building is relatively new and they haven’t had time to formulate a plan, but intend to look into options for repairing the building and also making alternate plans for the emergency shelter. The Ashland Community Center and Senior Center were suggested as emergency back ups. Shelter organizer Heidi Parker said she is not immediately aware of all the city buildings available, but the city could look into all viable options. The “real solution” is to fix Pioneer Hall and provide shelter seven nights per week, said Mayor John Stromberg. Councilor Stefani Seffinger disagreed. “I think we have to look at solutions for families and children long term. I don’t know if fixing Pioneer Hall is worth the money. Maybe for this year, but I don’t think it’s right to have no place for children and young women who don’t always feel they have a safe place.” Karns said it would cost thousands to prepare a study of how to fix the building. Councilor Dennis Slattery chafed at the notion. “We do not have the capability anywhere in our engineering to buttress the building? We have to pay $20,000 to 30,000 to study it?" Karns responded that the study funding would be included in repairs, suggesting it might take “$80,000 to repair the building. The study cost would be part of that.” Pioneer Hall, a log structure, was built in 1921, with the kitchen and bathroom added a few years later. The south wing, called the conference room, was built in 1988. Most of the structure was found to be in good shape with no dry rot, but the header over the conference room and rafters in the log structure were both deemed insufficient support snow loads. A seismic assessment found the stone chimney to be a falling hazard, and that the log truss at the front of the building needs reinforcement. Stromberg had planned to discuss winter shelters for the upcoming winter, apart from the discussion of Pioneer Hall, and he invited numerous community groups and volunteers to offer reports. But Councilor Dennis Slattery spoke up, saying a discussion of shelter options was not on the agenda posted for the meeting, which only listed "Pioneer Hall Structural and Code Assessment Findings." Councilors Mike Morris and Greg Lemhouse agreed the discussion would be outside the rules because it did not give enough notice for the public to participate. Councilors directed staff to investigate other city-owned locations for possible homeless shelters in the event weather precludes the use of Pioneer Hall. They balked at allocating money for a study of the building. Councilor Rich Rosenthal dissented, saying no matter how Pioneer Hall is used, it needs to be fixed. “We’re going to have to find money. This isn’t cheap. We don’t have engineers who can do this study and this specific type of engineering.” — Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/@julieakins.